1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a disc driving device for recording and/or reproducing information signals for a magnetic disc, a disc drive controlling device for controlling the disc driving device from outside, and to a disc drive controlling system comprised of the disc driving device and the disc drive controlling system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, in a floppy disc device adapted for recording and/or reproducing information signals for a flexible floppy disc, a carriage having a head connected thereto is moved by a stepping motor along the radius of the magnetic disc.
The basic operations for recording and/or reproduction, such as head movement, is controlled from the host side via an interface I/F. If a trouble occurs in the recording and/or reproduction, it cannot be detected by the drive device itself, while there lacks means to apprise the host side of that effect. The head position is adapted to be maintained mechanically against shocks from outside.
Meanwhile, in a disc driving device of the type in which a magnetic head unit is moved along the disc of the floppy disc by, for example, a voice coil motor, instead of by a stepping motor, via a carriage, there is a risk of destruction of data of a recorded neighboring track if a shock is applied during recording from outside.
On the other hand, if the shock ceases, the recording and/or reproduction needs to be re-tried. However, the driving device is not provided with an interface designed for the driving device to execute the re-try operation.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a disc driving device of the type in which two different head units are moved by a linear motor in the radial direction of two discs having different recording densities for recording and/or reproducing information signals, wherein it is possible to interrupt the recording and/or reproducing processing on detection of a shock from outside.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a disc driving device wherein the disc driving device can be caused to execute the re-try on shock cessation.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a disc driving device including first head means moved by a linear motor in a direction along the radius of a first disc for recording information signals thereon at a first recording density or reproducing information signals recorded thereon at the first recording density, first interfacing means for receiving from outside signals to be recorded by the first head means and for sending to outside signals reproduced by the first head means, second head means moved by a linear motor in a direction along the radius of a second disc for recording information signals thereon at a recording density higher than the first recording density or reproducing information signals recorded thereon at the recording density higher than the first recording density, second interfacing means for receiving from outside signals to be recorded by the second head means and for sending to outside signals reproduced by the second head means, shock detection means for detecting the shock from outside, and control means for controlling the recording and/or reproducing processing for the first and second discs on shock detection by the shock detection means.
When the first disc is loaded in position, and the shock detection means detects the shock, the control means interrupts the recording and/or reproducing processing for the first disc based on a control signal received from outside via the second interfacing means.
In the present disc driving device, there is also provided first recording and/or reproducing processing means for performing signal recording processing on signals for recording received from outside via the first interfacing means, and for performing signal reproducing processing on signal reproduced by the first head means. When the first disc is loaded in position, and the shock detection means detects the shock, the control means interrupts the recording and/or reproducing processing for the first disc based on a control signal received from outside via the second interfacing means.
In the present disc driving device, there is also provided means for holding a flag when the shock detection means detects a shock. When a control signal for clearing the flag held by the holding means is sent from outside via the second interfacing means to the control means, and a recording and/or reproducing command is also sent to the control means, the control means starts the recording and/or reproducing processing by the first recording and/or reproducing signal processing means.
Preferably, the first interfacing means is a floppy disc interface (FDD I/F) and the second interfacing means is an ATAPI I/F.
In the present disc driving device, the first head means and the second head means are supported by a common head carriage.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a disc driving control device for controlling a disc driving device including first head means and second head means moved by a linear motor in a direction along the radius of a first disc configured for recording information signals at a first recording density and a second disc configured for recording information signals at a recording density higher than the first recording density, for recording and/or reproducing information signals thereon, and first interfacing means and second interfacing means for sending signals for recording to the first head means and second head means and for receiving signals reproduced by the first head means and second head means.
The disc driving control device further includes control means for issuing a clear command for clearing a shock flag held on detecting the shock to the first disc by the disc driving device during recording and/or reproducing processing for the first disc, and a command for detecting the possible shock occurrence on reception of the end information indicating the end of every pre-set unit of the re/signal from the disc driving device via the first interfacing means. The control means causes a re-try to be executed via the first interfacing means on detection of the shock occurrence by the command for detecting the possible shock occurrence.
In still another aspect, the present invention provides a disc driving control system including a disc driving device and a disc driving control device. The disc driving device has first and second head means moved by a linear motor in a direction along the radius of a first disc configured for recording information signals at a first recording density and a second disc configured for recording information signals at a recording density higher than the first recording density, for recording and/or reproducing information signals thereon, first and second interfacing means for sending signals for recording to the first head means and second head means and for receiving signals reproduced by the first head means and second head means, and shock detection means for detecting a shock from outside. The disc driving device controls the recording and/or reproducing processing for the first and second discs on detection of a shock from outside. The disc driving control device issues a clear command for clearing a shock flag held on detecting the shock to the first disc by the disc driving device during recording and/or reproducing processing for the first disc, and a command for detecting the possible shock occurrence on reception of the end information indicating the end of every pre-set unit of the recording and/or reproducing signal from the disc driving device via the second interfacing means. The control means causes the disc driving device to execute a re-try via the first interfacing means on detection of the shock occurrence by the command for detecting the possible shock occurrence.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a disc drive control system including a disc driving device having first and second head means moved by a linear motor in a direction along the radius of a first disc configured for recording information signals at a first recording density and a second disc configured for recording information signals at a recording density higher than the first recording density, for recording and/or reproducing information signals thereon, interfacing means for sending signals for recording to the first head means and second head means and for receiving signals reproduced by the first head means and second head means, and shock detection means for detecting a shock from outside. The disc driving device controls the recording and/or reproducing processing for the first and second discs on detection of a shock from outside. The disc drive control system also includes a host computer for sending signals for recording to the first and second head means via the interfacing means and for receiving signals reproduced by the first and second head means. There is also provided disc drive control means for controlling the recording and/or reproducing operation for the first or second disc, based on information signals of the host computer, on shock detection by the shock detection means of the disc driving device during the recording and/or reproducing processing for the first or second disc.
According to the present invention, even in a disc driving device of the type in which two head portions differing from each other are moved by a linear motor in a direction radially of two discs of different recording densities, it is possible to detect the shock from outside to discontinue recording and/or reproduction. Thus, there is no risk of destruction of the recorded data in the neighboring track.
Also, in the present disc driving controlling device and system according to the present invention, it is possible to cause the disc driving device to execute a re-try on shock cessation.